600km update.
Bike is performing above my expectations. I still can't get over that endless rear travel feeling of DW Link. That is of course until you do actually decide to huck it big time. It rides nice and high and doesn't feel like it sucks any of your power.
The front end is a different story and when you get into the rough stuff it can't hold a candle to the rear. Plan is still to change it over to a newer fork at a similar weight. Fox SC34 is at the top of the list
The other components that are finding their limits are the Stan's Crest rims. I've had to true them quite a few times already and there's a few small flat spots in the front and rear wheels from general wear and tear. Light, cheap, strong, pick two. These were cheap and light and although they've seen some big days including a number of races, I think they'll need replacing in about 6 months. The plan would be to go a carbon rim.
The 34t chainring has proven to be too big for the frame so I've got a 32t sitting there ready to go on, but I need new chainring bolts because I decided to buy a Wolftooth one which I've since found out uses different bolts that I don't have
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I'm going to swap out the 11-40t XTR cassette for something wider coming into races next year. Since I'm planning some marathon type stuff I want to be able to limit my power spikes as much as possible so a Garbunk or E-Thirteen is on the cards.
Speaking of changes. I'm trying out a number of different saddle designs to see what my rear end prefers over long distances. I'd heard good things about the Specialized Power saddles and this second hand one came up at a decent price so I jumped on it. A couple of rides in and I'm really enjoying it!
The stem however, I think will need to go. 70mm is definitely the length I want but during a ride up in Dinner Plains I got down the bottom of a rough downhill I wondered why my brakes were pointed further down than I usually have them. Turns out the bars had slipped in the stem. A quick check of the bolts and they weren't exactly loose. That's what I get for using a cheap one I guess.
Otherwise, slowly racking up the kays and doing little things to get it dialed in. Poor Intense is still hanging from the rack, begging for a ride...